ftill deeper. The Wolf, opening wide his tremendous jaws, endeavoured to devour them, and rushed upon them with violence. Which the Gods seeing, thrust a sword into his mouth, which pierced his under jaw up to the hilt, fo that the point touched his palate. The howlings which he then made were horrible; and fince that time, the foam flows continually from his mouth, in fuch abundance that it forms a river, called Vam, or The Vices. But that monfter fhall break his chain at the Twilight of the Gods, that is, at the end of the world (A). Such is the wicked race engendered by Loke. Hereupon Gangler fays to Har, But fince the Gods have fo much to fear from the Wolf, and from all the other monsters whom Loke' hath produced; why have they not put them to death? Har replied, The Gods have fo much respect for the fanctity of their tribunals, and cities of peace (B), that they will not have them ftained with the blood of the Wolf; although the oracles have intimated to them, that he will one day be deftructive to ODIN. RE REMARKS ON THE SEVENTEENTH FABLE (A)" At the end of "the world."] It cannot be doubted that the Wolf is the emblem of the Evil Principle, or of fome power at enmity with nature. The river of Vices, faid to flow from the foam of his mouth, is one of those strokes which manifeftly indicate an allegory. I fhall fhow in another place, that the paffage we have now read, as well as all of the fame kind occurring in the EDDA, are no other than figurative, and poetic ways of propounding that phi THE EIGHTEENTH FABLE. GG Of the Goddeffes. ANGLER asks, Who are the Goddeffes? The principal, replies Har, is FRIGGA (A), who hath a magnificent palace, named Fenfaler, or the Divine Abode. The fecond is called SAGA. EIRA performs the function of physician to the Gods (B). GEFIONE is a virgin, and takes into her fervice, all chafte maids after their death. FYLLA, who is alfo a virgin, wears her beautiful locks flowing over her shoulders. Her head is adorned with a golden ribband. She is entrusted with the toilette, and flippers of Frigga *; and admitted into the most important secrets of that Goddefs. FREYA is the most illuftrious of the Goddeffes, next to Frigga. * The Icelandic is, Ok ber efki Friggiar: Ok gietr fkoklatha hennar, &c. i. e. according to Goranfon's Latin verfion, "Eique Pyxis Frigga concredita eft, ut "et ejufdem Calcei.” T. She She married a perfon named Oder, and of 1 of the palace, and fhuts the gates against all those who ought not to enter: she also prefides in trials, where any thing is about to be denied upon oath; whence the proverb, Signia is not far from him "who goes about to deny." The twelfth is called LYNA. She has the care of thofe whom Frigga intends to deliver from peril. SNOTRA is a wife and intelligent Goddess; men and women who are prudent and virtuous bear her name. GNA is the mef- fenger whom Frigga difpatches into the various worlds, to perform her commands. She has a horfe which runs over the air (c), and across the waters *. They reckon. alfo SoL and BIL in the number of the Afes, or' Divinities; but their nature hath been already explained to you . There are, befides, a great many virgins. who officiate in Valhall, pouring out BEER and ALE for the Heroes, and taking care of the cups, and whatever belongs to the table. To this refers what is faid in the poem of Grimnis, "I with Rifta and Mifta would fupply me with the drinking horns; for they are the nymphs who "fhould give cups to the Heroes." Thefe *The curious reader will find an additional paffage here in Goranfon's Latin translation. T. This, I fuppofe, refers to FABLE VI, &c. T. |